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Narrative:The accident F-15 was one of a flight of four en route to an Air Combat Tactics/Air Refuelling mission. After take-off from Bitburg the aircraft formated for a standard instrument departure and established radio and radar contact with departure control.

Shortly after, the departure radar failed and the flight leader, Adler 21, was: informed that radar contact had been lost. Adler 21 told departure control that he was in visual meteorological conditions (free of cloud) and was instructed to continue the instrument departure. Radar contact was re-established one minute later, by which time the flight was flying level in cloud at 7,000ft.

Departure control requested all aircraft except the flight, leader to switch off their radar transponders. Shortly after, Adler 24 called "Four is lost wingman," indicating that he had lost contact with the flight. Adler 21 acknowledged. Seventeen seconds later Adler 23 called "Two-three is lost wingman." The flight leader acknowledged and informed departure control of his lost wingmen, requesting permission to climb above the clouds.

The flight was cleared to climb to 20,000ft, but Adler 21 levelled off above the clouds at 9,500ft. Adler 23 rejoined the flight visually. A radio, radar and visual search failed to locate Adler 24. The aircraft crashed 13 NM north-northeast of Bitburg. The canopy was still on the aircraft and ejection had not been initiated. The pilot (1st Lt. Mike Mark) was killed on impact.